How Predictable Are We When It Comes To Reading a Page?

The majority of people follow certain trends, including how they read a web page.

The visual presentation of a web interface is essential for:

• Informing users — Like an invisible hand, the interface should guide users from one action to the next without feeling overbearing.
• Communicating content relationships — The interface should present content in a way that matches how users prioritize information.
• Creating emotional impact  — People visit restaurants for more than just an edible meal. They want taste, texture, presentation, and a memorable ambiance. Interface design is no different, and people may actually be more prone to forgive your site’s shortcomings if you produce a positive emotional response.

How the human eye reads a website talks about the predictability of the human eye.

The two predominant reading patterns for cultures who read left to right is the F-Pattern and the Z-Pattern.

With the F-Pattern, your eye reads the top, upper left corner and left sides of the screen most. It is typically used for text-heavy websites like blogs.

With the Z-Pattern, your eye reads left-to-right from the top. When the eye reaches the end, it shoots down and left, and repeats a horizontal search on the lower part of the page.

The Z-pattern is perfect for interfaces where simplicity is a priority and the call to action is the main takeaway.

Predicting where the user’s eye will go can be a huge advantage. Before arranging the elements on your page, prioritize the most and least important ones. Once you know what you want your users to see, it’s just a simple matter of placing them in the pattern’s ‘hot spots’ for the right interactions.

I think it’s fascinating. How about you?